Murdered Mauritius woman Janice Farman wanted to return home

Janice Farman had been in Mauritius since 2004

A woman who was murdered at the home she shared with her 10-year-old son in Mauritius had wanted to return to Scotland after being robbed two weeks ago, it has emerged.

Janice Farman, who was 47 and originally from Clydebank, told her husband she wanted to leave the Indian Ocean island on Wednesday.

Mrs Farman was asphyxiated on Friday after three masked men raided her home.

She had been in Mauritius since 2004 and was working for a data group.

Mrs Farman's estranged husband, Jean-Baptiste Moutou, told the BBC: "I talked to her on the phone on Wednesday and she had expressed her wish to return to Scotland.

"She asked for my help in initiating the proceedings."

Beaten and smothered

Mr Moutou said Ms Farman was robbed two weeks ago after moving to the Albion region of the country.

He added: "She decided to move to Albion and when I asked her the reason she told me she loved the beautiful beach in this region."

Police said they had yet to make an arrest in the case, contradicting earlier reports from local media that a man had been detained.

Daniel Monvoisin, from the country's western criminal investigation division, said Mrs Farman had been beaten and smothered with a cushion by the intruders.

They fled with a number of items, including jewellery and her car, a Nissan Tiida, which was later found abandoned by the side of the road.

Mrs Farman's Nissan Tiida was later found by police at the side of the road

Mrs Farman's 10-year-old son remains under the care of local child services.

The British Foreign Office said it was in contact with local authorities in Mauritius about the case.

An online petition has been set up by Mrs Farman's friends and work colleagues urging government action in the case.

The Justice for Janice petition read: "Janice was a gregarious lady who wholeheartedly embraced life as an islander.

"She worked tirelessly to support charitable causes and was protective towards her employees. Janice was snatched away from us by three brutes and this crime is beyond comprehension.

"How many more Janices are we going to lose because our criminal justice system is flawed?"